No plans to privatise Indian Railways: Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

India

oi-Prakash KL

New Delhi, Mar 16: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday clarified that the Centre is not willing to privatise the Indian Railways and opposition parties’ contention in this regard is hypothetical.

Responding to a question on recruitment issue, he said, “There is no ban on recruitment…recruitment is going on for 1.14 lakh vacancies,” he said while responding to various issues raised by MPs during the discussion.

Lok Sabha later approved the demands for grants for the railways with a voice vote. During the discussion, several MPs had accused the government of trying to privatise the railways. “It is only a hypothetical point…The track belongs to railways, stations belong to railways, engines belong to railways, trains belong to railways, signalling systems belong to railways…(there is) no talk of privatisation…no plans to privatise railways,” the minister…